Synopses & Reviews
Foreword by Gabriel Fackre
Will God one day save all people through Christbs atoning work? That is the question at the heart of the debate in this volume -- a debate sure to challenge readers, whatever their current perspective.
Featuring evangelical writers of exceptional insight and sensitivity, "Universal Salvation?" offers a conversation worth everyonebs attention. The volume opens with a rigorous three-part defense of Christian universalism by philosopher Thomas Talbott, who argues that Scripture teaches the ultimate salvation of all people, including those in hell. Gabriel Fackre in his foreword calls Talbottbs work bthe most thoughtfully wrought argument for universalism to date from within the contemporary evangelical community.b The rest of the book gathers incisive responses to Talbott by Christian scholars from different disciplines, who evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of Talbottbs arguments, take his thought in new directions, or explain why they think he is mistaken. Talbott then responds to his critics.
The aim of this volume is not to persuade people that universalism is true but to open up a fairer debate on a controversial subject of continuing importance to theologians and nontheologians alike. By exploring universal salvation from biblical, philosophical, theological, and historical perspectives, the book helps readers think through the issues more carefully than has been possible with resources previously available.
Synopsis
Will God one day save all people through Christ's atoning work? That is the question at the heart of the debate in this volume, and one sure to challenge readers, whatever their current perspective.
The book opens with a rigorous defense of universalism by Christian philosopher Thomas Talbott, who argues that Scripture teaches the ultimate salvation of all people, including those in hell. This is followed by responses from a range of Christian scholars who evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of Talbott's arguments, take his thought in new directions, or explain why they think he is mistaken. Two additional chapters trace universalist teaching in Christian history.
Contributors: David Hilborn, Don Horrocks, Tom Johnson, Morwenna Ludlow, I. Howard Marshall, John Sanders, Daniel Strange, Thomas Talbott, Jerry Walls.